Dick Parsons Named Interim CEO of LA Clippers

Michael Loccisano—Getty ImagesRichard Parsons attends the "Short Term 12" New York special screening at Dolby 88 Theater in New York City on July 16, 2013.

The former Citigroup chairman has been named the team's interim CEO, after the NBA banned owner Donald Sterling for racist comments. Clippers president Andy Roeser is also taking an indefinite leave of absence to give the team a "clean slate" after the scandal

The NBA named former Citigroup chairman Dick Parsons the interim CEO of the Los Angeles Clippers Friday, more than a week after the league banned Clippers owner Donald Sterling from his team for making racist comments.

“I believe the hiring of Dick Parsons will bring extraordinary leadership and immediate stability to the Clippers organization,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.

Parsons was brought into Citigroup during the recession to help the struggling bank rebound, and he was previously named Time Warner CEO in 2002 after its unsuccessful merger with AOL. TIME parent company Time Inc. is being spun off from Time Warner this year.

A lawyer by training, he is currently a senior advisor at Providence Equity Partners.

“A lifelong fan of the NBA, I am firmly committed to the values and principles it is defending, and I completely support Adam’s leadership in navigating the challenges facing the team and the league,” Parsons said in a statement. “The Clippers are a resilient organization with a brilliant coach and equally talented and dedicated athletes and staff who have demonstrated great strength of character during a time of adversity.”

The Clippers play the Oklahoma Thunder Friday night in game three of the second round of the NBA playoffs. The series is tied 1-1.

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